How should Chelsea's 2024–25 season be graded?
They clinched their first major honour since the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital takeover after defeating Real Betis 4-1 in the Europa Conference League final, and secured Champions League qualification for the first time under their ownership with a 1-0 win away at Nottingham Forest on the final day to finish fourth in the Premier League.
Advertisement
However, the season also had its lows.
They were uncharacteristically knocked out of both the FA and Carabao Cups in the fourth round by Brighton and Newcastle, and won just two of 10 Premier League games between December 22 and February 22 — a stretch that included their heaviest loss of the season, a 3-0 defeat away at Brighton.
So, how should their season be viewed overall?
On the latest episode of Straight Outta Cobham, with help from listeners, Matt Davies-Adams and Liam Twomey discussed how Chelsea's 2024–25 season should be graded.
A partial transcript has been edited for this article. The full episode is available on the Straight Outta Cobham feed on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Matt: We asked listeners to grade Chelsea's 2024-25 campaign, and lots of them got in touch with us. We had a couple of A grades from Yahoo and Andrew. Yahoo said, 'We achieved the Champions League and won a trophy, what more could we want in season one with Enzo Maresca?' Andrew said, 'We hit all the objectives, and unlike the last two seasons, have shown some sign of improvement.' Alan graded it a B and said, 'It would be higher if the football hadn't been such a struggle to watch at times and if we hadn't dropped five points against Ipswich. I can't argue with the end result, though, and stability will hopefully bring progress.'
There were also a couple of slightly lower grades which came in. Four Aces said, 'I'd give it a C+, it was decent but it came down to the last game in the league and the second half in the Conference League final. It could have gone very differently.' GCP graded it a C- and said, 'Bare minimum given the level of investment and the relative standard of the league. I think the squad was good enough to get another 15 points. I want to see evidence of Maresca getting the best out of players other than Cucurella.'
Advertisement
B or B+ feels about right to me, Liam. Obviously, it could have been very different had things not gone the way they did right at the end of the campaign, but you can't say that Chelsea haven't achieved what they set out to at the start of the season. Albeit I like that caveat from Alan that the football was difficult to watch at times, and we'd be lying if we said it wasn't, wouldn't we?
Liam: Yeah, but I think you also have to view it in the context of, 'Remember what the football was like under Graham Potter in that wasteland of a season two years ago?' That's still the personal low point for me in a decade of covering Chelsea. And then last year, I know people remember some of the thrilling, more goal-happy games under Pochettino, but there were also some pretty sterile possession games against low blocks. Admittedly, that wasn't a completely new thing this season, and yes they scored 13 more goals under Poch in 2023-24, but they also conceded 20 more goals. So when I look at the step forward this season, it's primarily defensive and primarily in terms of structure. And yes, that isn't going to get Maresca any brownie points with fans for entertainment, but I think it's an essential step for Chelsea to actually become a better team.
Overall, I'd grade it a B. To me, a B is a solid pass, like job done… at least it was for me at GCSE. But certainly a B in the Conference League because that was par for the course, they had to win that. Even Real Betis, the best team that they faced, were significantly less talented and that showed in the final, but they still took care of business. And it looked for a while like they might not in the Premier League, even though the first half of the season lined up brilliantly for them. Until the turn of the year, there was no one making a play for second, never mind fourth. And I know Aston Villa and Newcastle finished strongly, and Man City finally got their act together to some degree and made it competitive. But Chelsea had this big advantage that they then blew away essentially in the space of two or three miserable months.
But they pulled themselves together when they needed to, they found that grit, and they finished really strongly. So they deserve credit for that. But when you're looking at the season in totality with the way the campaign panned out, and looking at the other teams, I didn't think there was much of an excuse for Chelsea not to make the top five. So to finish fourth meant job done. Chelsea can move on now and look to strengthen this summer, look to have a good showing in the Club World Cup, and we'll see where it goes from there. But it was a solid and encouraging first season for Enzo Maresca.
You can listen to full episodes of 'Straight Outta Cobham' for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
(Top Photo: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Arne Slot makes HUGE Richard Hughes contract demand
Liverpool are still in the midst of a landmark summer transfer campaign. The Reds have spent close to £300m since winning the Premier League title on new players. Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, Giovanni Leoni and Giorgi Mamardashvili have all come through the door for the champions. 🔴 Shop the LFC 2025/26 adidas home range Shop the LFC Store 🚨2025/26 LFC x adidas range🚨 LFC x adidas Shop the home range today! LFC x adidas Shop the goalkeeper range today LFC x adidas Shop the new adidas range today! And to balance the books, sporting director Richard Hughes has also overseen the departures of several first-team players. 🔴 That list is headed by Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez - while Jarell Quansah, Ben Doak, Caoimhin Kelleher, Tyler Morton, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Nat Phillips have also left. Konate future uncertain But Liverpool are by no means done. We could see Alexander Isak arrive as the club's new No9 before the window is out - although Newcastle have not yet agreed to release their star striker. Marc Guehi is another who could arrive - with the Crystal Palace captain out of contract in 2026. Part of the reason that Liverpool are interested in the England international is that Ibrahima Konate is in the same boat. Under contract until 2026, Liverpool are unsure whether the France defender will be at the club next season. Arne Slot wants to keep Konate Accordingly there have been suggestions that the 26-year-old could either be sold this summer or else replaced by Guehi on a Bosman in 2026. However according to a new report in Defensa Central, Liverpool are NOT giving up on Konate - and Arne Slot in particular is doing all he can to ensure the title-winning stopper stays. 'Arne Slot has asked his directors for an extra effort to prevent the Frenchman from leaving Anfield,' the report reads. Konate signed for Liverpool back in 2021 from RB Leipzig but has only come into his own as a bonafide top-class player in the last 12 months or so. © IMAGO Konate's sizeable contract demands He earns around £140k per week on his current contract - and it's been reported that he wants £200k per week to renew. Of course Real Madrid can not only offer a blockbuster salary but also a sizeable signing-on fee - estimated at €18m. The financial lure is strong but the indications are that Slot is asking his club to pull out all the stops to prevent Konate from leaving.
New York Times
15 minutes ago
- New York Times
Brentford reject bid worth up to £40m from Newcastle for Yoane Wissa
Newcastle United have seen an improved bid for forward Yoane Wissa rejected by Brentford. The proposal was worth £35million plus £5m in difficult-to-achieve add-ons but turned down. Brentford sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to discuss the situation, have stressed that the club have not provided a target price to any team. Advertisement Wissa wants the move to St James's Park. The Athletic reported on July 22 that Brentford rejected a £25m proposal from Newcastle for the 28-year-old, who scored 19 Premier League goals in the 2024-25 season. Nottingham Forest also had a bid rejected for the DR Congo international in July, having previously had an approach rebuffed in January. Wissa returned from Brentford's pre-season training camp in Portugal to hold face-to-face talks over his future with the Brentford hierarchy. He did not play in pre-season and was absent from the squad for their opening fixture of the Premier League campaign against Nottingham Forest, which ended in a 3-1 defeat. Newcastle turned their attentions to Wissa after cooling their interest in Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike, who eventually joined Liverpool. Newcastle have missed out on several striker targets this summer in addition to Ekitike, including Joao Pedro, Liam Delap (both Chelsea) and Benjamin Sesko (Manchester United). Their pursuit of a front man comes amid Alexander Isak's desire to leave, with the Sweden international saying on social media on Tuesday that his relationship with the club 'can't continue.' Wissa, who joined Brentford from French side Lorient in 2021, has another year on his contract, and the Premier League club hold an option to extend his terms for a further 12 months. Brentford have had a summer of major change, with head coach Thomas Frank departing the club to join Tottenham Hotspur alongside three members of his backroom coaching staff. Meanwhile, captain Christian Norgaard joined Arsenal and 20-goal forward Bryan Mbeumo completed a transfer to Manchester United. Mbeumo and Wissa scored 39 of Brentford's 66 goals in the top-flight last season. Wissa has recorded 49 goals and 13 assists in 149 appearances for Brentford. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Fantasy Football Mock Draft, No. 10 Pick: Full list of picks, analysis and key takeaways
Welcome to the 10th installment of my 12-part mock draft series, where I'm drafting from every spot — 1 through 12 — in a standard 12-team Yahoo league to break down how draft strategies evolve based on pick position. As always, I used the Yahoo Fantasy Plus Instant Mock Draft tool and drafted solo. The format is half-PPR, with the following roster construction: QB, 2 RBs, 2 WRs, TE, FLEX, K, D/ST and six bench spots. [Subscribe to Yahoo Fantasy Plus and unlock Instant Mock Drafts today] We're onto the 10th pick, where I went with a more balanced approach with my roster development. Landing a pick at the backend of your draft will have plenty of strategic crossroads — you can zig while others zag or double down on value as positional runs unfold. Let's see how it unfolded here: Full Roster QB: Patrick Mahomes (KC) RB: James Cook (BUF) RB: Alvin Kamara (NO) WR: Nico Collins (HOU), WR: Brian Thomas Jr. (JAC) TE: Mark Andrews (BAL) FLEX: Isiah Pacheco (KC) D/ST: Minnesota Vikings (MIN) K: Jake Elliott (PHI) Bench: Jakobi Meyers (LV) Bench: Keon Coleman (BUF) Bench: Braelon Allen (NYJ) Bench: Jayden Higgins (HOU) Bench: Tyler Warren (IND) Bench: Marvin Mims Jr. (DEN) Rounds 1–3: Locking in top WRs with a high-floor RB 1.10 – Nico Collins (HOU – WR) 2.03 – Brian Thomas Jr. (JAC – WR) 3.10 – James Cook (BUF – RB) Roster Assessment after Round 3 Starting WR-WR-RB emphasized my strategy in selecting dynamic pass-catchers early, leaving flexibility to focus on RBs later. Nico Collins has his share of injury concerns, and it doesn't help that the Texans' offensive line is trash. However, he's the alpha of Houston's offense with limited competition for targets. Collins has the upside to be a top-three wideout this season. The Jags offense should be far more productive under new HC Liam Coen — another member of the Sean McVay coaching tree. Brian Thomas Jr. showed out in his rookie campaign with 87 receptions for 1,282 yards and 10 TDs. It's up in Year 2. In the third round, I went with James Cook, a three-down back who is tethered to one of the best offenses (and QBs) in the NFL. Building through WR first set the tone for a more balanced roster that could pivot to value when the board flipped, without forcing positional needs. This trio gave me both youth and breakout potential — a good sign in a mock with lots of early RB grabs. Rounds 4–6: RB stable with bounce-back QB 4.03 – Alvin Kamara (NO – RB) 5.10 – Isiah Pacheco (KC – RB) 6.03 – Patrick Mahomes (KC – QB) Roster Assessment after Round 6 By loading up on backfield talent, I ensured my RB room stayed versatile. The Saints offense looks putrid, but when has that ever stopped Alvin Kamara in fantasy? His PPR upside continues to deliver despite age and durability concerns. I selected Pacheco a round earlier than his late sixth-round ADP, because there was a brief run on RBs towards the end of that round. Pacheco is in store for a strong bounce-back campaign after a broken leg messed up a promising start to the 2024 season. Speaking of bounce-backs, I went with Mahomes as my QB1. I got him at a slight value relative to ADP and I'm confident he'll perform better than his QB12 in 2025. After six rounds, I've covered the vast majority of my skill positions, with TE being the only gap. Rounds 7–10: Finalize skill positions with a mix of bench depth 7.10 – Mark Andrews (BAL – TE) 8.03 – Jakobi Meyers (LV – WR) 9.10 – Keon Coleman (BUF – WR) 10.03 – Braelon Allen (NYJ – RB) Roster Assessment after Round 10 Adding Andrews shored up my TE spot. Getting a vet and Lamar Jackson's security blanket provides peace of mind without having to stress about streaming the position. Jakobi Meyers is an underrated asset in PPR formats. Playing with one of the most accurate QBs in Geno Smith only helps his floor — hopefully, more TDs are in store as well. I was on the fence about selecting Keon Coleman, but with his size, I expect he'll be a frequent target for Josh Allen near the red zone in his second season. Braelon Allen is the upside pick of these rounds. He's one of the most popular sleepers this offseason as he continues gaining steam on forcing a committee backfield with Breece Hall. The offseason drumbeat's been loud and through two preseason contests, Allen's racked up 67 rushing yards on 15 carries compared to just 35 yards on 10 carries with Hall. Allen is the better value relative to cost. Rounds 11–15: Upside swings 11.10 – Jayden Higgins (HOU – WR) 12.03 – Tyler Warren (IND – TE) 13.10 – Marvin Mims Jr. (DEN – WR) 14.03 – Vikings (MIN – D/ST) 15.10 – Jake Elliott (PHI – K) Roster Assessment after Round 15 The final stretch of picks added important stash options. Higgins and Mims Jr. are dart throws with real vertical potential in evolving offenses, while Warren offers insurance at TE should Andrews get dinged up. Grabbing the Vikings' defense, which ranks in the top-five in Week 1 of consensus rankings, with Jake Elliott allowed me to complete the roster without reaching, both with solid projections and consistency. Positional runs and key takeaways RBs: I had to jump on an RB run late in the fifth round because four RBs were selected consecutively right before my pick. I had to go with an RB there, or I would have sacrificed another tier drop at the position. Pacheco ended up being the fifth RB selected in that round. WRs: 21 WRs were drafted between Rounds 4-6. Since I selected WRs in Rounds 1 and 2, I was able to pivot off of those runs and target RBs who were steadily being plucked through the first five rounds. Knowing when to buck or participate in positional runs is all about your strategy and placement in the draft. After doing a couple of mock drafts from the back-end of the draft order, I'm more than comfortable taking the best two WRs on the board in Rounds 1 and 2, then hammering RB. I'd also consider taking an RB/WR combo or WR/RB, depending on who's available. Another pivot I considered was not selecting Mahomes and going with a late-round QB build, and spending that seventh-round pick on a WR. Overall, my team build is a well-balanced mix of vets, youth, upside and high-floor guys with built-in contingencies to weather early variance while setting up for mid-to-late season arrivals.
